New World, Who’s This?

A new beginning

I stared up at the woman, and the new arrivals. Caerus appeared next to her in a puff of white smoke. I finally got a closer look of them. Since I was sitting the closest. And both of them so very beautiful. Caerus looked interesting. While he was fully clothed, you could see he had softy puffy white wings on his back, and on the heels of his feet. But the strangest thing was his hair. The back of his head bald, and the rest of his head covered with beautiful blonde curls.

Elpis too had wings, but are much larger. Her brown hair was braided across her forehead, while the rest of her curly brown hair cascaded down the front of her. Dressed in a blue white and silver tunic, I was almost breathless looking at her.

So looks like the Greeks were right.

Haha.

The new arrivals Elpis has summoned didn’t look near as god or goddess like, but strong nonetheless.

Three burly looking men, and one frail looking woman. Not frail that she could easily break, no. Maybe dainty would be a better word.

“I know you’re all probably wondering why champions have been summoned, for we’re both gods. But we can’t meddle in any conflicts. None.” She paused.

And for some reason, my dumbass jumped at the opportunity to say something.

“Funny you should say that when in fact most conflicts are caused by gods and goddesses.”

Insert foot in mouth.

I clamped my hand over my mouth. I heard a light chuckle.

“You’re quite right, my dear.”

Huh?

“Gods and goddesses have been known to cause conflict for as long as I can remember. Seeing it all from the inside of that stupid box.”

Now I felt stupid.

“I’m sorry.”

Elpis came down to my level and grabbed my face in between her hands. Her palms felt warm, and made my insides feel calm and pleasant.

“It’s alright, I understand your own frustrations dear child. Much better than you’d think.” She kissed me on the forehead and stood back up.

“If you didn’t figure it out already, I am the goddess of hope. Or spirit of hope as some would call me. There is only so much power I have and that I can give. I used a lot of that power to bring you call here. In each of you is a power that can also be taken away, if you decide to defy me.”

She paused. I was hanging on every word she said. I felt something bloom in my heart.

What it is I couldn’t tell you.

Elpis continued.

“The four I have summoned, all belong to a kingdom. The Werewolf kingdom,” one of the men, whom I now noticed was wearing different furs, and a dagger on his belt, stepped forward. He exuded power. He was maybe in late thirty’s or early forties. His hair came to his shoulders, and his face was clean shaven, showing off his beautiful face. Several scars littered his face, but the one going across his nose stood out to me the most.

“The Ogre Kingdom.” Another man stepped forward. I didn’t know what I was expecting when she said ogre. Maybe shrek? But the man who stepped forward looked more like human shrek than green shrek. I was kinda disappointed. Extremely handsome, and dressed quite fancily. A long sword was strapped to the belt he was wearing. It’s sheath matching the color of his deep blue suit. But even his eyes and hair color matched. Two horns stuck out of his head a jet black.

Why does he almost seem familiar? Perhaps a manga I’ve read?

“The Fae Kingdom.”

The woman I had noticed as frail earlier, stepped forward. As if that step had completely changed my perspective, I couldn’t help but be in awe of her beauty. She didn’t glow as much as Elpis, but she had this Ethereal look to her. Her white hair tinged with a slight pink to it, olive brown skin, soft pink lips, light green eyes and the most beautiful butterfly wings I’ve ever seen. She was dressed what looked to be a fluffy green satin dress that went all the way to her bare feet.

“And the Elemental Kingdom.”

The last man stepped forward. I thought the werewolf kingdom and ogre kingdom exuded power. But this man…

His hair was a fiery red that only reached his shoulders. His eyes a blood orange, his skin suntanned. He wore an armor that looked more like scales, almost all black, aside from a hint of red that gleamed on them in the sunlight. Just like the ogre, he had a sword on his belt. The sheath was a deep purple, which was a stark contrast to his whole ensemble.

Elpis tapped her staff once more.

A cloaked figure appeared.

“Circe. Please be on standby.” Elpis murmured.

Circe? As in the witch? The cloaked figured stood where she was, and said nothing.

“Each of you are already chosen in destiny of which kingdom you belong.” She tapped her staff once again, and I felt the clothes I had been wearing disappear only to be replaced in seconds.

I looked down at myself. Black scales cover the top of the armor I was wearing, the rest had a bit of white residue. My fingers covered with a pair of what felt like leather gloves. Black boots that went almost all the way to my knees. Black thick tights covered my legs.

I looked up at the different kingdoms, and only one set of eyes were on me.

The elemental kingdom.